Painted Wood Floors...Would You Do It?

Every time I come across a painted wood floor, I ask myself, is this something I would ever commit to doing? I love the way painted floors look - whether it's a large scale pattern or solid color, there's something very unique and original about these floors. According to interior designer Scott Yetman, “It’s a great way to add interest to a room since you still get the texture of the grain but with a much more uniform colour (and it’s easy to touch up scuffs or scratches).” “It creates a very contemporary Zen feel in a room.” (quote from Canadian House & Home). I guess the only thing that scares me what a serious commitment it is to slap down a coat of fresh paint on a stained hardwood floor. You know what I mean? Designer Mary McDonald is famously known for her boldly painted floors, often times in large scale geometric patterns (and they always look amazing!). How do you feel about this idea? Is it something you would try or have you already done it? I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you're ever interested in attempting it yourself, here's a great DIY article with step-by-step instructions.

 {IMAGE CREDITS: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12}

New York (Part I): Lowe's Color Event with Nate Berkus!

A few weeks back I received a very special invitation to attend a small, exclusive color event in New York, sponsored by Lowe's and hosted by special guest, Nate Berkus. As you can imagine, I about died with excitement and RSVP'd yes immediately! The event was held this past Monday on the top floor of a building in Tribeca, in an open loft with bright white walls, white flooring...white everything. It was the perfect backdrop for all of the colorful swatches and cans of Valspar Paint placed throughout. The decor, food and live deejay were fabulous. The setting was intimate and there were only about 15 attendees, which were mostly design bloggers. Read on for details about what went down...

Nate spoke to us about his passion for color and how much he enjoys using it in his design projects. But like many of us, he used to refrain from using color in his earlier years as a designer because he was afraid of it. Three things that inspired him to introduce color into his projects, which he still looks to today, are nature, fashion and travel. The image directly above shows how Nate has created some of his favorite palettes by looking to objects such as a vintage suitcase, colorful scarf from India, etc. Where so you find your color inspiration?

Paint cans, brushes and supplies were neatly displayed and we were encouraged to pick up a brush and try out different colors on blank canvases.

Valspar's fabulous Hi-DEF Advanced Color System paint can cover up even the darkest of colors (even black, as seen in the top right photo), without using primer and in most cases, just one coat of paint. If I can eliminate priming a wall + two coats of paint, sign me up! Click here to see an example of how it works.

A stylish little meeting area.

Nate Berkus was everything I expected him to be: down-to-earth, friendly and approachable...oh, and super good-looking! I asked him how he eases clients who are"afraid of color" into trusting him to incorporate it into their homes. He said a great place to start is by adding pops of color with accent pillows, or maybe a chair upholstered in a colorful fabric...small doses still offer interest and energy to a space without overwhelming the client with color. If you read my blog, you know how much I love color and how I'm always trying to encourage people to just "go for it"!

Sweet and tasty treats for us to nosh on. My favorite were the mini cupcake bites - so adorable!

One area of the studio had a collection of all white furniture and accent pieces, which we later had the opportunity to paint in a competition.

Nate jumped in on the action and got to work on a little side table. Top right is Crystal Gentilello from Rue Magazine, painting a small chair with her team. It was fun to watch everyone hurry to complete their painted pieces in just 30 mins.

After a wonderful and inspiring afternoon of events, several of us met for cocktails at Plunge Bar, which is on the top floor of the Gansevoort Hotel. Great drinks and the most incredible views of the city! From left, Lea McIntosh of Nesting Newbies, Me, and two of the fabulous women from Lowe's marketing and PR who helped coordinate this fantastic event. I had such an incredible time and am grateful to have been a part of such a special experience. A big thanks to Lowe's and Valspar paint for making this happen!  I'll be posting Part II of my trip tomorrow, which will cover the great food, shopping and sightseeing my husband and I squeezed in in our 2 1/2-day trip!

Statement Stripes

Oh, how I love stripes! Striped fabrics, pillows, paintings, rugs, and most of all, striped walls. They add a touch of drama to any room and create an instant "wow" factor. And the combinations are endless - contrasting stripes, subtle stripes, wide or skinny stripes, horizontal or vertical stripes...and so on! If you're looking to liven things up in your decor, a striped wall may be just what you need. How do you feel about stripes? Have you tried this out in your own home? *** I'm so happy it's Friday :) Looking forward to a relaxing weekend with my wonderful husband. Have a good one and I'll meet you back here  next week! xoxo - Julie

PHOTO CREDITS: HOUSE TO HOME; HOUSE BEAUTIFUL; ELLE DECOR; DECOR PAD; JULIE THIGPEN INTERIOR DESIGN

DIY: Six Simple Paint Projects

Every time I blog about DIY project ideas, I get such a great response from you! I suppose it's because we love learning new ways to spruce up the things we already own...you can give new life to just about anything by adding a small embellishment, fresh coat of paint, etc. Today's post covers six simple projects using just a little bit of paint and maybe a stencil or two. Click on the link below each image to learn exactly how to DIY. My favorite is the one just below, with the stenciled birdcage on a bamboo shade!

stenciled bird cage on bamboo cage via country living

stenciled animal mugs via country living

create an illusion of wallpaper with this amazing stencil roller brush! learn how to via country living; roller brush from rollerwall.com.

stenciled pillow using upholstery spray paint

stenciled circles lampshade Via martha stewart

decorative chair backs - use patterned paper (shown here) or use a decorative stencil, via martha stewart.

chair shown above from ikea for $39.

Beyond the White Ceiling

I started my day off with the new July/August issue of House Beautiful, which I excitedly flipped through while power walking on the treadmill (the only thing that keeps my attention long enough to finish a workout!). One design area they tackle in this issue is color on the ceiling (p.24), which is one area of a room that often gets neglected. I'm totally guilty of this...I focus on the floor and 4 walls but the white ceiling tends to stay, well, white. They asked several designers their thoughts and suggestions on this topic..."It's the last great frontier in decorating, and I almost never leave it bare. To me, that would be like showing up for a party empty-handed!" -Marlaina Teich (recommends using a pearlized paint to give a little shimmer); "I always think of a room as having six surfaces - four walls, plus the floor and ceiling." - Christopher Maya (try using a soft pastel color on the ceiling with off-white walls). How do you feel about painting the ceiling in a room? Please share your thoughts!

"The ceiling is the most overlooked and underused opportunity in decorating." -Jamie Drake (likes using an ethereal shade, such as I Love You Pink by Benjamin Moore).

This white lacquered ceiling gives the illusion that the ceiling is higher and opens up the space visually (via Apartment Therapy).

Try carrying the ceiling color down the walls about 6" to give a little interest! (photo found here)

This neutral adds warmth to the space and compliments the chocolate brown walls nicely.

I can't imagine the ceiling being white in this room! The purple just finishes off the dramatic look and feel (via Holly Dyment).

********************

IMAGE CREDITS: HOUSE & HOME; HOUSE BEAUTIFUL; AMANDA NISBET DESIGN